Math Portal Home > Performance Tasks for Algebraic Thinking for K- 5 > Stairs

Stairs


Sunshine State Standards

MA.3.A.4.1

Materials

About 50 cubes or blocks per student

Notes to the Teacher

Use a demonstration set of blocks to show each set of stairs as you read the following:

 

This set of stairs uses 1 block:

This set 3 of stairs uses 3 blocks:



This set of stairs uses 6 blocks:




Instruct the students to answer the questions on the attached student page.

Directions:


1. Build the same three sets of stairs with your blocks.



2. Draw a picture of the sets of stairs in the space below.

 

 


3. Look at the sets of stairs you built. What do you think the next two sets of stairs will look like? Build the next two sets of stairs with your blocks.

 

 

4. Draw a picture of the new stairs in the space below.

 

 

5. Explain how you knew how many blocks to use in the steps you built.

 

6. Use the blocks to create different patterns of stairs. Draw a picture of your stairs in the space below.

 

7. Explain how to figure out how many blocks to use in the stairs you built.

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